Obama plans to attend memorial service for West blast victims

President Barack Obama plans to attend a memorial service on Thursday for those killed and injured in last week’s fertilizer plant explosion in West.

White House press secretary Jay Carney announced at today’s White House press briefing that the president and his wife Michelle will attend the memorial service planned at Baylor University in Waco.

The Obamas will fly to Waco after attending the ribbon-cutting ceremonies at former President George W. Bush’s presidential museum and library at Southern Methodist University in Dallas.

Obama has a Democratic fundraising event in Dallas on his calendar, as well. Carney did not mention whether Obama would maintain his plans to attend the partisan event.

The president and first lady attended a memorial service in Boston last week for the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings. It was en route to that service that Obama first discussed the West tragedy with Texas Gov. Rick Perry.